Which place is cheaper, Jakarta or Riga?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Jump to 
Should you visit Riga or Jakarta?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Riga or Jakarta? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Riga or Jakarta?
Riga
Riga is the vibrant capital city of Latvia. It continues to gain popularity as a tourist destination in part because it is the base for the airline Air Baltic. This affordable airline offers discount flights around Europe and most of these flights pass through Riga with a forced overnight layover. This encourages travelers to visit this fascinating city for at least a night or two.
Jakarta
As Indonesia's capital and largest city, Jakarta rests on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is the country's economic, cultural, and political center with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, nightlife, shopping, and entertainment.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Indonesia, and The Best Adventure Tours to Indonesia.
-
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRiga €104Jakarta €60
The average daily cost (per person) in Riga is €104, while the average daily cost in Jakarta is €60. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Riga and Jakarta in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRiga €53Jakarta €31
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRiga €106Jakarta €62
Compare Hotels in Riga and Jakarta
Looking for a hotel in Riga or Jakarta? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Riga Hotel Prices and Jakarta Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Riga €15Jakarta €19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Riga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Riga:
- Riga - Tallin: Transfer and Tour through beautiful landmarks: $490
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn with Sightseeing: $462
- From Private Transfer to Vilnius with Sightseeing: $429
- From Private Transfer to Tallinn: $344
- Transfer from Riga International Airport to Downtown: $269
- From Transfer to Tallinn with Turaida Museum Reserve: $231
- From Vilnius: One-Way Private Transfer to Riga: $183
- From Cesis and Sigulda Day Trip with Hotel Transfers: $151
- Riga Private Mercedes Benz Airport Transfer: $139
- Riga Gun Experience: Roundtrip Transfer and 4 Firearms: $132
- Riga Private Mercedes Benz Airport Transfer: $108
- Private transfer Riga - Hill of Crosses - Riga: $104
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jakarta
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jakarta are as follows:
-
Taxi to Station€1.02
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jakarta
Also for Jakarta, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Soekarno Hatta (CGK) Airport to Jakarta City: $11
- Private Transfer Airport Soekarno Hatta (CGK) to All City Destination: $13
- One Way Private Transfer Airport to Jakarta City: $16
- Easy & Simple Transfer Airport Jakarta: $17
- Airport Private Transfer Jakarta, Best Price: $19
- Jakarta Airport Transfer Service: $20
- CGK - Private Airport Transfer Service: $20
- Private Airport Transfer Jakarta (CGK) To All Destination : $20
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Jakarta APT-HTL (CGK): $21
- Private Transfer from Soekarno Hatta Airport to Jakarta Hotels: $22
- Airport Jakarta Soekarno - Hatta ( Private Transfer ): $22
- Private Transfer from Soekarno Hatta Airport: $23
Is it cheaper to fly into Riga or Jakarta?
Prices for flights to both Jakarta and Riga change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayRiga €33Jakarta €16
Typical Food Prices in Riga
Some typical examples of dining costs in Riga are as follows:
-
Fast Food Lunch€5.77
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Riga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Riga.
- Central Market Latvian Food Tour: $42
- Unique Food Tour: $52
- Medieval Guided Tour & Three-Course Dinner Experience: $97
- Riga Medieval Dinner: $114
- Private Cooking Master Class In The Latvian Family : $131
- Taste Market Tour & Cooking Masterclass: $139
- Cooking Experience with Chef: Learn & Dine: $140
- Latvian Food: Cooking Masterclass with a Chef: $153
Typical Food Prices in Jakarta
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Jakarta:
-
Dinner€2.56
-
Dinner€0.70
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jakarta
For Jakarta, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Fun Food Tour Jakarta: $30
- Mangga Besar Food Tour: $49
- Cikini Heritage Food Tour: $49
- Jakarta Night Life Tour with highlight and food tour: $55
- Jakarta Night Tour: Guided Sightseeing & Street food tour: $57
- Kota Tua Food Tour: $64
- Melawai Night Street Food Tour: $67
- Private Jakarta Guided City Tour with Batavia Café and Dinner: $80
- 10-Tasting Private Food Tour with a Local Host: $98
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Riga €21Jakarta €12
Tours and Activities in Riga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Riga are as follows:
- The best of Bauska walking tour: $75
- 1 Day Riga Sightseeing Red Bus Grand Tour: $27
- 2 Day Gastronomy Tour In Latgale : $241
- 2.5-Hour Riga Cruiser Bike Tour: $41
- 5 Hour Shared Tour to Hill of Crosses from Riga: $82
- ATV Quad Off Road or City Tour in Riga: $142
- Art Nouveau Walking Tour in Riga: $65
- Baltic Treasures Tour: Hill of Crosses, Rundale & Bauska: $153
- Beer Bike Experience : $36
- Best of Riga Walking Tour: $182
- Best of Riga Walking Tour - Highlights and Hidden Gems: $66
- City:canal:tour: $22
Tours and Activities in Jakarta
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Jakarta.
- Jakarta City Center: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Jakarta Walkingtour : Explore Jakarta as the locals do: $20
- Private custom tour with a local guide: $33
- Private Custom Walking Tour with a Local Guide in Jakarta: $34
- Like a Local Customized Guided Tour: $35
- Experience Jakarta Street Food Scene with MRT Transportation: $37
- Half-Day Highlights Tour: $39
- Highlight Noon Batavia Tour By Walk : $40
- Experience Jakarta Street Food Scene with MRT Transportation: $42
- 3 Hours Jakarta City Tour (Jakarta's Iconic Places): $45
- Highlights of Jakarta City: Half-Day Tour: $45
- Best Jakarta Tours, your best friend in travelling.: $48
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayRiga €20Jakarta €3.96
Sample the Local Flavors in Riga
Also in Riga, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Old town pub & bar crawl, hidden gems, and local party: $25
- Pub Crawl in Riga: $33
- Riga Evening Adventure: Pub Crawl & Games Night: $37
- Riga's Old Town Beer Bike Tour & Guided Pub Crawl: $38
- Riga Happy Hour Pub Crawl: $54
- Riga Beer Killer Bar Crawl: $55
- Latvian Wine Tasting & Monk Show: $75
- Old Town Sightseeing & Latvian Wine Tasting with Show: $97
- Riga Wine Tasting Session: $103
- Riga Pub Crawl & Party Bus Tour: $526
- Yacht Tour with Medieval Banquet and Wine Tasting: $3,341
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Riga and Jakarta, we can see that Riga is more expensive. And not only is Jakarta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Riga is in Europe and Jakarta is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Jakarta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jakarta and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Riga would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Riga than you might in Jakarta.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Riga Expensive? and Is Jakarta Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Riga or Jakarta?
Jakarta has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Riga. When comparing the sizes of Riga and Jakarta, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.